Thanksgiving 2013

We had a great Thanksgiving this year.  It was our turn to be with the McElhaney family, so we made the journey to Wewahitchka, Florida.  Like many families I know, Thanksgiving is the holiday for extended family.  As families grow, Christmas becomes more intimate, but for Thanksgiving the bigger, the better.

Bill McElhaney - "Pops"

Cousins - Scott Robbins and Les

There were twenty six descendants of Bill and Marie McElhaney in attendance this year.  Aunt Bobbie Crabtree turned 90 this summer and her great granddaughter, Ella, was the youngest at four.

Ella Crabtree

Aunt Bobbie, with her son, Allen, and his son-in-law, Bill Hobson

Brian and Barb Abernathy

The weather was a bit crazy.  It was warm on Tuesday, a storm blew in and dropped more than three inches of rain.  The Gulf of Mexico was really rowdy!

After the storm, the temperatures plummeted to the 30s on Wednesday.  It was sunny, windy and cold, but after sitting so much Monday and Tuesday - I went running and Les went for a bike ride anyway! 

 

I love the different colored houses on the Port St. Joe Penninsula.

The Gulf was calm once again.

This clan knows how to make a great camp fire to keep everyone warm.  Cousin Scott gave lessons to any who wanted to listen and learn...

Scott's son, Dusty, trying his hand at chopping wood!

Check out those coals!  We had two fires going for our large group.  Aunt Bobbie's shoes got so hot the rubber soles separated from the rest of the shoe and an unnamed girl from Hawaii was seen with smoke coming off one boot...

Before we knew it, it was Friday morning and time to start making our way back to Atlanta.  Sliding glass doors make taking selfies really easy!

We stopped at Cracker Barrel in Dothan, Alabama.  I don't usually play this game, but Les was on the phone and I decided to give it a try.  "Genius" on the first try!

I'm married to a genius - he won the game while talking on the phone!

It was dark when we traveled through downtown Eufaula, Alabama on the way down on Monday.  I was glad to see it in the daylight.  I love big old homes!

We got to see one more branch of the family - we stayed with Shana and Tara Crabtree in Atlanta on Friday night.  We met them at Gumbeaux's.  Spicy red beans and rice, with a side of hush puppies, was just the ticket after turkey and dressing.  I didn't take a single picture of the family or food, but both were exceptional!

We experienced winter for a week and now we are happily back in the land of palm trees and tropical breezes!